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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27269023">It's cute in a way, till you cannot speak</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/greyj30/pseuds/greyj30'>greyj30</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Hair Dyeing, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Oneshot, Pining, Self-Indulgent, Unrequited Crush, because i'm sad, gay longing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 02:36:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>684</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27269023</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/greyj30/pseuds/greyj30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p></p><blockquote>
  <p> <i>It's cute in a way, till you cannot speak<br/>And you leave to have a cigarette, your knees get weak<br/>An escape is just a nod and a casual wave<br/>Obsessed about it, heavy for the next two days<br/>It's only just a crush, it'll go away<br/>It's just like all the others it'll go away<br/>Or maybe this is danger and he just don't know<br/>You pray it all away but it continues to grow</i></p>
</blockquote>- <i>Tear You Apart by She Wants Revenge</i><p>the inherent homoeroticism and intimacy of dyeing your roommate's hair while he talks about everything and nothing at all and you listen and sometimes get distracted by his face in the mirror and you're also a boy</p><p>or: Sokka dyeing Zuko's hair and quietly going insane because WOW he likes this boy</p><p>OR: Zuko getting his hair dyed by Sokka and quietly losing his shit because cute boy!! touching his hair!!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>107</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Avatar Ficlets/Short Stories</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>It's cute in a way, till you cannot speak</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this was going to be requited but I got sad so its mutual pining. you all are at the mercy of my mental illness and emotions</p><p>also wow can you tell yet that I'm mlm and Very single I want someone to dye my hair goddammit</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The hair bleach smelled so strong that Sokka could taste it in the back of his throat, heady and thick. Still, it was worth it, he thought. This <i>closeness</i>. It drove him practically insane, but he didn't say anything. He never said anything. Well, he spoke, answering Zuko's rambling with choice phrases and jokes that made Zuko laugh so hard the bleach flecked onto his collar. But he never said what he really felt. What he wanted. This would have to be enough. He would have to make this be enough, in some way.

</p><p>Zuko shivered when Sokka's hands accidentally brushed the back of his neck. His head itched from the bleach and he absentmindedly reached up to scratch it. Sokka slapped his hand away instantly with a "Hey! It's not done yet! You'll mess it up," to scold him. Zuko smiled wryly in response.</p><p>“Fiiine.” </p><p>He watched Sokka smile unconsciously in the mirror, a hint of a blush dancing across his cheeks. Zuko wanted to kiss him there, with the same fleeting softness the blush had. But he couldn’t. He had to accept that. He was going to accept it someday. He had to. But for now, this was enough. He wondered how soft Sokka’s lips were.</p><p>Sokka, whose thoughts had gone down a similar path, straightened and said, “Well! Time’s up! Rinsing time.”</p><p>In a very not romantic way, Sokka made Zuko put his head into the sink to rinse out the bleach. Zuko shivered again, but not out of gay longing, he expected the water to be a little warmer than ICE COLD, something that he protested to Sokka. Sokka hushed him, stating that the colder the water the better it was for his hair. Zuko didn’t think that was true, but whatever.</p><p>…</p><p>Zuko’s hair was a shock of pale platinum, almost whitish blond when it dried. He could only stare at himself in the mirror in disbelief as Sokka began to dry his hair to prepare to dye it.</p><p>“So,” Sokka began, “You’re <i>sure</i> you want this color? We’d be matching.” He ruffled his hand through his own hair, showing a near-identical pastel blue.</p><p>Zuko swallowed. “Yes.” He didn’t want to think too hard about why he wanted this color. “Dye my hair already, prettyboy,” he added, his face immediately flushing.</p><p>Sokka froze, his heart pounding. Quietly he exhaled a shaky breath. <i>Don’t let it show, he doesn’t feel the same</i>, he scolded himself. “Prettyboy, huh?”</p><p>Silently cursing himself, Zuko answered, “Yes. Prettyboy, it’s a joke. Not sure you’d get it.” He didn’t want to deny it. He had to. Zuko began to feel a more painful version of longing then, something deep and burning and aching in his heart.</p><p>Sokka looked at Zuko’s face in the mirror, which was still flushed red, a stark contrast to the blue hair dye he was holding for Sokka. <i>Obviously he’s embarrassed that I’m trying to make something out of a joke</i>. Sokka felt the same ache then, full of pain and ice and stoicism longing to be free. “That was rude, Zuko! Time to start dyeing your hair then.” Hiding his pain behind his bland smile, Sokka went to work on dyeing Zuko’s hair.</p><p>Sokka put his tongue between his teeth when he was intently focused, Zuko noticed. He also nodded along whenever he was listening, occasionally pursing his lips or furrowing his brows. Zuko could watch Sokka make different expressions all day. </p><p>…</p><p>Zuko was more prepared for the water this time and watched in almost wonder as the water ran blue. Sokka hated that he <i>knew</i> what Zuko’s expression was, even if he couldn’t see it.</p><p>...</p><p>“So, what do you think?” he asked, showing Zuko his handiwork. Zuko’s hair was now a light, icy blue. It spoke of cold mornings and hushed whispers and foggy skies. It was freedom from fire and heat and everything he had been. Sokka noticed how beautiful it made his gold eyes look, molten gold juxtaposed against the blue, and silently wished he hadn’t.</p><p>“I love it.” <i>I love you</i>.</p><p>“I’m glad.” <i> I love you too</i>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>honestly the fact that I took a deeply horny het song and made it gay longing is a testament to my abilities as a writer, I'm proud of myself</p><p>I swear to god this was intended to be like, sweet. now its just mostly :(</p><p>update 11/16/20: ok this is still getting views for some reason, should I make a requited version or is the market too far into mutual pining here? comment ur thoughts about it</p><p>please follow or message me on my <a href="https://greyj30.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a> for more :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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